Sharing
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: "If you get hungry, you know where the food is. And the warm milk, y'know, in case you feel your kitty-cat urges coming on." Rook was tempted to playfully throw the pillow at Ben's head but he was laughing too hard.


**A/N: So I wrote more BRooken... oops. I keep getting positive feedback on how I write them, so I figure I'm doing alright and they're relatively in character. Rook is the only one I feel like I struggle with nowadays ^.^' Anyways, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Not owning Ben 10. Sorry guys.**

* * *

_**Sharing**_

"I cannot believe that Blukic and Driba were not able to repair the heating system." Rook's hand was firm on the van's steering wheel. "They had the entire day to try and find parts and fix the-"

"Relax," said Ben, putting a hand on Rook's knee. "Grandpa Max said he would help Blukic and Driba with it tonight so you could go back tomorrow for a good night's sleep with the heat back on. Don't get so worked up about it."

The Revonnahgander sighed. "You are right." He turned the corner onto Ben's street just as the full moon hit the peak of arc through the black night sky. "I am just disappointed that Magister Tennyson believes I am not strong enough to endure the night down in the base when it is so cold."

Ben unraveled the green scarf that was around his neck and then wrapped it around Rook's neck. "I don't think it's that. It's probably because your fur isn't thick enough for long-term cold. And because he wouldn't want his best Plumber getting sick." The teen offered a sweet smile that Rook returned with coy eyes.

"Humans don't get sick simply from cold. It also occurs from-"

Ben cut him off quickly. "I love you and all," he said, "but I would prefer it if you didn't lecture like my mom."

"Noted."

Rook pulled the pseudo-van into the driveway and parked it behind the big yellow hippie car that Ben's parents drove. He watched Ben step out and pull his jacket tighter around him as Winter tugged at his hair and pelted his face with icy winds. Rook fingered the fringe of the scarf and smiled before stepping out of the van himself and following Ben up to the front door.

The teen fumbled with the key as his hands went numb, and eventually, Rook just took control, taking Ben's hands in his own while the other pressed the key into the lock and opened the door.

Inside stood Carl and Sandra, sitting on the couch, engrossed in whatever spew Will Harangue was giving out on his nightly show. "Hey, kiddo!" called Carl with a quick glance over at his son as he pushed through the doorway with Rook by his side, the two still holding hands. The man's gaze analyzed it for a moment before deciding that he knew what was going on. After all, Rook was wearing his son's scarf.

"Is it alright if Rook stays the night?" Ben asked over the sound of the gibbering man on the television screen. (Honestly, the dude was an asshole and anything he had to say was irrelevant.) "Plumber HQ is having a situation with the heating."

"Of course, dear," Sandra cooed, her smile and kindness visible in her voice alone. "He can have the couch here." She began to rise and spent a few seconds stretching out. "We were just waiting for you to come home before heading to bed ourselves."

"I'll get blankets and a pillow for him." Ben took his scarf back from Rook and hung it up on a hook along with his own jacket and hat. "You guys can get some sleep. We'll be alright."

Sandra continued to try and be a perfect hostess by instructing her son, "Make sure you offer him food and a drink and maybe even some warm milk if he wants it." Carl was already pulling Sandra away, knowing she'd start going overbearing mother on both of the boys if she stayed too long. "And I don't mean that because he's a cat person alien but because it helps people sleep!" And then the boys were out of sight.

Carl asked in a hushed voice before they reached their bedroom door, "Did you know about them?"

She chuckled. "You didn't?"

Back in the living area, Ben moved to the hall closet in their small ranch house and pulled out a pillow from an upper shelf. "It's kind of flat but it'll do for one night." He tossed the pillow at Rook, who caught it effortlessly. "And, as usual, sorry about my mom."

"At least she did not call me a raccoon man this time." In response, Ben scoffed. Rook carried on: "Besides, she is just trying to be friendly. She treated Kevin and Gwen in such a way, correct?"

"Gwen's my cousin." Ben's lips twisted up slightly. "But she constantly called Kevin a ruffian and expressed general dislike. But she always let him stay here when he was in trouble, so I guess so." He pulled a blanket off the same shelf before closing the closet door and stepping back towards the couch. "Here's a blanket. Also, I recommend laying with your head on this end of the couch because I spilled a smoothie on that side last week and it's starting to smell kind of rank."

Assuming that rank was a bad thing, Rook tossed his pillow to the indicated end of the couch. "Thank you, Ben-dude."

"Just get some sleep, you dweeb," laughed Ben, always smiling when Rook called him that. He was so bad at petnames that someone could probably make a show out of it. So "Ben-dude" was the best solution. "If you get hungry, you know where the food is. And the warm milk, y'know, in case you feel your kitty-cat urges coming on."

Rook was tempted to playfully throw the pillow at Ben's head but he was laughing too hard.

"Goodnight, Rook," said Ben as he disappeared down the hall to his bedroom, vanishing into a wall of darkness.

Rook was left all alone with a blanket, a pillow, and a couch. He looked at where Ben had disappeared, noted that Carl and Sandra's door was shut, and made an executive decision: he would sleep with Ben tonight.

On cat-like feet, he padded down the hall with his blanket and pillow in hand. The Revonnahgander opened the door carefully, after a few moments of steeling his nerves, and stepped into the shadowed room. "Ben?"

"I taught you how to work the microwave last time," mumbled Ben, clearly not asleep yet and just a little bit frustrated with the intrusion. "You push the blue butt-"

"No, no," interrupted Rook. "I wanted to see if I could sleep in here with you." He had already closed the door behind him and was now standing awkwardly and shuffling his furry feet. "I feel like it would be more comfortable. And I enjoy cuddling with you. I imagine falling asleep beside you would be even more pleasant."

Ben couldn't argue with that. More than once, he'd tried to get Grandpa Max to keep him at HQ overnight so he could curl up in Rook's bunk. "Alright, get over here, fuzzy-butt."

"That is a rude name," Rook commented while picking his way across the minefield of dirty laundry that decorated the floor to Ben's room.

"But it's true." Ben was smirking.

Just as he had sat down on the edge of the bed, Rook paused. Then he replied slowly, "Fair enough."

Ben chuckled in the darkness before wrapping his arms around Rook and pulling him into the warmth of the mattress and blankets and pillows. "Now come on. I'm ready to crash."

"I second that." Rook melted himself into Ben's arms, being the little spoon in what Ben called "spooning". "It has been a long, cold day."

"Nothin' better than ending those kinds of days in the arms of someone you love." Ben gave a contented sigh and kissed the back of Rook's neck; the blue fur tickled his lips and caused him to smile. "Goodnight, Rook."

"Goodnight, Ben-dude."

Again, Ben laughed.

* * *

In the morning, as dawn's golden tendrils curled into the room through holes in the blinds, Ben was awoken by Rook shifting in his sleep. And after a few moments of blinking and rubbing the sleep from his jade eyes, he noted that his boyfriend was actually conscious. In a sleepy tone, Ben uttered softly, "I think that was probably the best night's sleep I've had in a few months." He stretched one arm out to reach across Rook's torso. "I kind of hope the heat's still not working in HQ so you don't have to go back tonight."

There was a brief pause before Rook glanced at Ben and quietly said, "That can be arranged."

They laughed in the morning hours as the sun rose in the sky.

* * *

**A/N: Leave a review? Thanks for reading!**

**~Sky**

**Sidenote: I actually wrote this before today's episode, so writing Will Harangue in there happened before the douche showed up again, which I think is hilarious and strange. But Harangue is a great plotpoint for the series. Also, the Static Shock reference today. Yes.**


End file.
